I have always enjoyed Francesco Rinaldi’s single
vineyard Barolos, both of which are made from two of the denominazione’s greatest sites, Brunate and Cannubi.

The estate owns 2 hectares in Brunate, a cru situated
mainly in the La Morra township but that spills over into the Barolo commune. Rinaldi’s
Brunate parcels (for a total of 0.8 hectares) are ns.375, 376 and 377 in La
Morra, while parcels ns. 2, 3 and 224 are in Barolo (and extend over 1.2
hectares). Nebbiolo was planted on this southeast-facing slope in 1979 and
1981.

The Rinaldi family long referred to their Barolo
Brunate as “La Brunata” (with a final ‘a’) because that is the name of the farmhouse
in the vineyard that Giovanni Rinaldi first bought back in 1936. More recently,
the vineyard name has been harmonized under Brunate according to the official
MGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive that
were established in 2011.

Rinaldi’s 1988 Barolo
La Brunata is a gem. Slender and precise in the style of the vintage, this mid-weight Barolo has aged exceptionally
well, which is not always a given with other 1988 Barolos. It still shows
lovely clarity in its perfumed, fresh red berry and cherry flavors, all of
which are complicated by spice and
autumnal nuances. The 1988 is a lovely Barolo that is drinking beautifully
today, but that can also hold on for at least a few more years. 93/Drinking window: 2017-2023.